I would like to request a new tab-handling option in Orion: the ability for tabs to automatically shrink in width as more tabs are opened, similar to Safari’s behavior.
Current Behavior
When many tabs are open, Orion pushes new tabs off-screen into the scrollable overflow area. This sometimes makes newly opened tabs appear to “disappear” until the user manually scrolls the tab bar.
Requested Behavior
Add a setting such as “Shrink tabs to fit” or “Auto-resize tabs,” allowing the tab strip to compress tab width before initiating overflow scrolling. This would ensure that new tabs remain visible without requiring side-scrolling.
Why This Matters
Improves usability for users who keep many tabs open.
Reduces confusion when opening a new tab that isn’t immediately visible.
Aligns Orion with established patterns in Safari and other major browsers.
Provides greater user control over tab management preferences.
This enhancement would meaningfully improve the experience for heavy tab users. Thank you for considering it.
I see several clear user scenarios for how a “shrink tabs to fit” option would be used, and they highlight the value this feature would bring to the tab experience in Orion. Many users frequently open large numbers of tabs during research or multitasking, and when a new tab appears off-screen due to overflow, it breaks workflow and forces the user to manually scroll the tab bar. With a shrink-to-fit option, the browser would gradually reduce the width of existing tabs so that newly opened tabs always remain visible until a user-defined minimum width is reached. This greatly benefits users who open multiple links in rapid succession, or who operate in a quick “open-look-close” cycle, because they no longer lose track of the newest tab. It also benefits users with a mix of pinned tabs, active tabs, and many background tabs—the browser could reserve a stable width for pinned tabs, shrink inactive tabs first, and ensure the active tab stays readable by allowing it to expand slightly on activation. The feature would also work well for users who prefer horizontal scrolling; tabs would shrink first, and scrolling would only activate once the minimum threshold is reached, creating a hybrid approach that is both efficient and intuitive.
Other browsers provide strong precedents for this behavior. Safari uses a similar system where tabs actively compress as more are opened, preserving immediate visibility while still making the active tab prominent. Chrome historically allowed tabs to shrink down to favicon size before using overflow scrolling, and while its current implementation has evolved, the original shrink-first behavior was popular with power users who disliked losing sight of new tabs. Firefox does not include this natively, but the popularity of add-ons like “Prevent Tab Overflow” shows clear demand for tab shrinking with adjustable minimum widths. Vivaldi approaches the broader problem by offering tab stacks and vertical tabs, but even there, the idea of compressing tab width remains part of its adaptive interface design. These examples indicate that shrink-first experiences are well understood, desired by heavy tab users, and compatible with modern browser UI principles.
This feature would integrate naturally into Orion’s existing architecture. It would sit alongside the scrollable tab bar setting and the “new tab position” preference, offering both a simple on/off toggle and optional advanced controls such as minimum tab width, shrink-order logic, and how pinned tabs behave. Vertical tabs could automatically disable shrink-to-fit, since they solve the same problem in a different layout, while tab groups and the tab switcher would continue to provide complementary navigation models. The system could elegantly animate width changes using lightweight GPU-accelerated transitions, ensuring performance remains smooth even when dozens of tabs are opening rapidly. Accessibility considerations, such as a higher default minimum width or reduced animation mode, would ensure the feature works for users with visual or motion sensitivities.
Ultimately, the feature enhances usability by keeping new tabs visible, reducing cognitive load, and aligning Orion with best-in-class tab behaviors seen in other modern browsers. It preserves user control, improves workflow fluidity, and extends the usefulness of existing tab management features without disrupting users who prefer the current scroll-only model.
